Why Standing Often Feels Even Harder Than Running

Whether it’s waiting in line at amusement parks or airport security checkpoints, standing poses unique challenges to the human body.

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CreditCreditEmily Berl for The New York Times

By Judi Ketteler

Aug. 1, 2019

I’ve been a runner for 25 years and have been practicing yoga for 10. So why do I find it so much less painful to run for an hour than stand for an hour? Even the thought of standing for extended periods makes my back ache, especially during the summer, where standing is part of the fabric of the season, from waiting in line at amusement parks to standing in the security checkpoint queue at the airport.

“The way we stand is so important. Our body can only handle so much strain in one position,” said Dr. Diane Koshimune, a podiatrist. When standing, most people’s tendency is to assume a “relaxed” stance, with the arch of the foot collapsed and your foot rolled in slightly, she said. That position puts more tension on the inner side of your foot, ultimately leading to pain in the foot, ankle and lower back.

Focusing on maintaining a more “active” stance can help distribute your weight more evenly and align your joints, Dr. Koshimune said. To do this, she advises engaging the leg and foot muscles while standing and, without picking up your feet, rotating your kneecaps outward slightly, which will cause the arches to lift slightly. The stance requires steady focus, of course, but Dr. Koshimune said, “Mindfulness can help to make standing a little more comfortable.”

When we stand for long periods of time, we are extending and lengthening our hip flexors, said Victoria Lyon, a certified personal and group fitness trainer and public health researcher at the University of Washington. Holding those muscles in extension can feel strenuous, and they fatigue.

Consider how your arm muscles would fatigue if you held your arm straight out in front of you. The same is true of standing, versus walking or running. “With running, your muscles flex and extend in every single stride,” said Ms. Lyon.

She and others offer a handful of additional tactics to help make standing more comfortable, or at least less painful.

1. Take movement breaks

Kaitlin Gallagher, an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas who researches prolonged standing, found that about half of people develop some kind of back pain from excessive standing, even if they have never experienced back pain before or had an injury. “The back pain from standing seems like it’s something small that goes away when you move around, but it can cause problems over time,” she said.

In a recent study, Dr. Gallagher and her team found that taking walking breaks for five minutes every half-hour can help alleviate any back pain that results from standing, likely because walking moves your spine around. When study participants took walking breaks — walking faster than a stroll, but slower than a run — they developed less back pain after two hours of standing, compared to when they stood still for two hours.

“Moving around seems to be a good way to mitigate the pain you feel when standing,” she said. If a walking break isn’t logistically possible, look for other ways to “flatten” your back, like placing one foot on a curb or other elevated surface. “Resting a leg on a ledge or step can be effective at reducing low back pain,” Dr. Gallagher said. She advises that if you’re standing for any kind of extended period that you keep alternating the leg you are resting.

2. Consider shoe choice

We often stand around in flip-flops during the summer, Dr. Koshimune said, which, alone, is not necessarily problematic. But walking too much in them can cause problems, because your toes and tendons have to engage to keep flip-flops on your feet. “It’s like telling your feet, ‘I’m going to give you these things to protect you, but I’m going to make you hold on to them,’” Dr. Koshimune said. Set yourself up for more comfortable standing and walking by wearing more supportive shoes, such as flats or slides with a thicker sole (one that doesn’t twist easily) and a strap in back to help hold your foot in. The American Podiatric Medical Association offers this tip sheet for buying sandals. They’ve also created the A.P.M.A. Seal of Acceptance program for shoes found to promote good foot health (their site features lists of products that have earned the seal).

3. Put your smartphone away

What do most of us do when we are waiting in line? We pull out our phone. Beware “tech neck,” Ms. Lyon said, which means your neck is tilted down and forward, causing your shoulders to round (a position called kyphosis). If you happen to be lugging a heavy backpack and your core is weak, you might also have lordosis, which means your back is arched and your rear end sticks out slightly.

Together, it’s a recipe for pain. Instead, tuck your tailbone slightly under yourself, drop your shoulders away from your ears and look out straight ahead of you — and not down at your phone.

4. Try stretching exercises

A study in Japan found that a standing exercise called the “One Stretch” helped prevent or reduce low back pain. To do the One Stretch, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Put your hands on your lower back, fingers pointing downward. Inhale, and then exhale for three seconds as you gently stretch backward while trying not to bend your knees. Use your hands for support as you come back to a neutral standing position. Repeat several times.

5. Train

“Standing is highly demanding, and it requires some training and endurance,” Dr. Gallagher said. If you know you’ve got upcoming airport security lines or lines at the amusement park, or even a big day shopping at the flea market or mall, train with some short bouts of intentional standing. No phone, just you, your posture (active stance!) and your thoughts. Even if your main thought is counting the seconds until you can sit down again.

Judi Ketteler writes about health and happiness at midlife. She does not own a standing desk.